New Report on AIDS Drug Assistance Programs

"ADAP Watch," National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors: The report found that a total of 529 people in Alaska, Montana, Puerto Rico and South Carolina were on waiting lists for AIDS Drug Assistance Programs as of May 16 (ADAP Watch, 6/25). ADAPs are federal- and state-funded programs that provide HIV/AIDS-related medications to low-income, uninsured and underinsured HIV-positive individuals (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 5/10). Alaska's waiting list has one person, Montana's has 22 people, Puerto Rico's has 36 people and South Carolina's has 470 people (ADAP Watch, 6/25). The report also found that two ADAPs have adopted additional cost-containment measures to stay financially solvent. These measures include capped enrollment and formulary management, which have been instituted since April 1 (NASTAD release, 6/25). Indiana and Michigan have implemented such measures, according to the report. Kentucky reported that it anticipates having to implement new cost-containment measures during the current ADAP fiscal year, which ends on March 31, 2008 (ADAP Watch, 6/25).

According to the report, many states in FY 2007 received a significant funding increase because of new Ryan White Program funding formulas. Twelve states have indicated that they will be able to bolster their ADAPs because of these funding increases by:

Expanding program formularies;

Eliminating the need for waiting lists;

Adding staff members;

Enhancing primary care;

Raising financial eligibility;

Increasing capacity; and

Removing clients from waiting lists.

According to the report, five states have indicated that they will need to implement caps on medications, maintain waiting lists, lower financial eligibility, implement client cost-sharing or reduce their formularies because of decreases in FY 2007 funding. The report said that unless ADAP funding is substantially increased to "make up for previous years of underfunding, waiting lists and other cost-containment measures will likely continue as permanent features of this critical program" (NASTAD release, 6/25).